Why We Gather at Samhain: Remembering Together
As the year turns and the light begins to fade, we find ourselves standing at a threshold: the space between autumn and winter, life and death, what has been and what is yet to come. Across centuries and cultures, this period stretching from October to November has always been understood as one of reflection, remembrance and renewal.
Here in the northern hemisphere, Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the continuation towards the darker half of the year. It is a moment to pause, to take stock and turn inward to honour the cycles of life that hold us all.
Honouring the dead, across time and culture
Long before it became entwined with Halloween, Samhain (pronounced Sow-ein) was celebrated by Celtic peoples as a festival when the veil between worlds grew thin and ancestors could draw near. Around this same time of year, communities across the world also gather to remember their dead. Many of us have learned about Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) in Mexico, and perhaps also Obon in Japan and Pchum Ben in Cambodia, just to name a few.
Each of these traditions holds the same quiet wisdom: that our lives are interwoven with those who came before, and that remembering them keeps the thread of connection alive.
Why I felt called to create this gathering
This Mortal Life grew from the weaving together of many threads in my own life over recent years. During my training as a death doula, I became increasingly aware of how little ritual we tend to practice here in the UK compared to many other cultures around the world. That absence has left many of us unsure how to make space for grief, or how to sit comfortably with the full range of human emotion, which we all experience throughout our lives. I also became more aware of the growing disconnection with nature as technology has slowly creeped into every part of our lives.
Through my time working with bereaved families, and later through hosting Death Cafés and other community events, I’ve seen how profoundly healing it can be to pause, to mark occasions and to celebrate both legacy and life. These simple acts remind us of what matters most: connection, care and belonging.
In the years since the pandemic, it feels clearer than ever that many of us are still searching for that sense of togetherness we once took for granted. I want to help nurture spaces that bring people back into community, places where we can explore life’s deeper currents through creativity, reflection and shared humanity. And that’s where this series of nature-based celebrations was born.
Celebrating the turning of the seasons through festivals like Samhain offers a natural rhythm for this kind of connection. It invites us to slow down, to listen and to remember that we are part of something larger than ourselves.
This gathering is an invitation toward that vision: an evening where remembrance feels warm, communal, and creative, not heavy or solemn, but filled with gratitude and joy. A place to share food and stories, to light candles for those no longer living, to acknowledge our shared humanity, and to find comfort in knowing we do not grieve or remember alone.
What to expect
Our Samhain evening will be shaped by three simple elements: a shared meal, a remembrance altar, and a space for creative expression.
We’ll begin with food, sharing a meal that everyone has contributed to in one way or another. People bringing dishes that feel meaningful or simply seasonal, which offers a way to nourish both body and spirit.
Together, we’ll create a communal remembrance altar, a simple, beautiful space where everyone is invited to place small tokens, photos or notes in honour of those who have died. As the candles flicker and the altar takes shape, it becomes a shared expression of memory and care and a beautiful backdrop to our evening.
After dinner we’ll open the floor for readings, poetry or story-sharing…small offerings of voice and creativity that give shape to remembrance and the seasonal changes.
A space for all
You don’t need to identify as spiritual, pagan or religious in any way to take part. The gathering welcomes anyone who feels drawn to mark this moment in the year, to remember and to connect.
It will be a gentle, alcohol-free space, held with respect, kindness and inclusivity. You’re welcome to come alone or with others; everyone will be received with warmth and friendship in this space.
Remembering that we belong
As the veil grows thin and the season turns us toward rest, Samhain invites us to remember that death is not separate from life, it’s a natural part of its rhythm. When we pause to honour what has passed, we also reaffirm our belonging to the living world.
Whether you join us in person or mark the moment in your own quiet way, may this Samhain be a time of reflection, gratitude and gentle connection with yourself, your loved ones and your wider community, wherever that may be.
✨ Samhain: A Festival of Remembrance
📅 Sunday, 2nd November, 6-9pm
📍 Front Room Theatre, Weston-Super-Mare
More details, including an event FAQ and booking link can be found here.
